Lenihan Christopher Pte 4455388
Personnel Entry
Name Lenihan Christopher
Army number 4455388
Rank Pte
Decorations
Date of birth Born County Durham 1919/20.
Age 20 at the time of his death.
Unit Enlisted in The Durham Light Infantry late April/early May 1939. Posted 6th Bn DLI. Posted 10th Bn DLI - probably September 1939. Served BEF. Posted Missing 10/5 to 20/6/40. Presumed KILLED in ACTION 20/5/40 with 10th Bn Durham Light Infantry.
Company/Battery C Company 10th Battalion DLI.
Platoon or other sub-unit
Task or role
Joined Brigade Probably 1/9/1939.
Promotions
Wounded
Prisoner of War
Died/Killed in action 20-May-40.
Home address Resident of County Durham. Son of Mrs J A Lenihan, stepson of Mr J Dale, Spennymoor. Buried Plot 8. Row I. Grave 12. BUCQUOY ROAD CEMETERY, Ficheux.
Source table 10DLI
Mentioned as being a friend by Mr Tommy Bamforth on 13/9/2014.
Following contact from the family of Pte William Bestford - buried next to Pte Lenihan in Bucquoy Road Cemetery - the author was made aware of a letter written from PoW Camp to his family from Pte Jonathan Bestford - captured in the same engagement at FICHEUX in which his brother was killed - to the effect that Pte Lenihan was with him in PoW Camp. The only explanation is that Pte Jonathan Bestford was mistaken, as the body of Pte Lenihan was identified in the usual way by those French civilians engaged in the initial burial of the casualties at FICHEUX and MERCATEL and he is included on the list of those recovered at the time.
